


I Will Always Play (For You)

by mchotstufff



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Alec Lightwood-centric, Alec helps Magnus, Alec is the shoulder to cry on, Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Emotional Support, F/M, Fluff, Happy Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Human AU, Hurt Alec, Hurt Alec Lightwood, Hurt Magnus Bane, Insecure Alec Lightwood, Insecure Magnus Bane, M/M, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Magnus Bane Is A Freewheeling Bisexual, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Magnus loves the piano, Malec, Malec AU, Modern AU, Music AU, POV Alec, Protective Alec, Protective Alec Lightwood, Sad Alec, Sad Magnus, alec plays the piano, magnus is a stylist, malec Christmas, mentions of failed relationships, mentions of magnus/camille relationship, roommates au, support by music
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-13 11:24:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12983040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mchotstufff/pseuds/mchotstufff
Summary: Alec was never good with words, not in college and not now. The only way he knows how to speak is through the use of music.A story of Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane being roommates and slowly falling in love.





	I Will Always Play (For You)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!  
> I'd like to say that I have no previous knowledge of how to play the piano, or any technical terms in regard to music playing. I did my best on the subject by playing on my own interests.  
> Warning: Includes  
> Implied brief sexual content  
> Use of swear words  
> Major Malec fluff  
> Enjoy!

Alec Lightwood made sure to the door was shut firmly behind him before he even thought about taking another step into his shared condo. His roommate hated when he left the door open and let the draft come in with him, especially now that the winter season had fallen upon the neighborhood.

Typically, it was good enough to wear a light jacket. Now, everyone was bundled up to their noses to avoid the possibility of losing a limb. It was hysterical seeing the lengths that people took in order to evade the cold. Alec had no problem with this kind of weather. He was fine with his wind breaker jacket and the handmade scarf his sister, Isabelle, had made for him a few years ago. It still looked as good as new and was very capable of its job to keep Alec warm.

Alec stayed put beside the welcome mat and carefully deposited his wet boots and scarf in their respective places. He easily balanced the plastic bag in one arm and the drinks in the other without worrying about them tipping over. He had years of experience – and previous tragic accidents – under his belt. He considered himself to be an expert.

“Alec? Alec, is that you?” the other voice called from one of the separate rooms, then the sound of footsteps followed.

Alec nodded, but then realized that the gesture couldn’t be heard. “Yeah. It’s me.”

“Great,” the other man sighed. “I’m _starving.”_

His roommate, the other half to the Lightwood and Bane household, Magnus Bane, patted softly around the corner and towards the kitchen with the same tiredness that he had seen a few hours ago when Alec had first left the house. Alec had hoped that the man would at least try and get dressed, or out of those things that he called pajamas, but it seemed like it was going to be one of those days.

Magnus Bane was a force that he had crossed paths with during his time in college. Out of all of the other music majors, out of all of the other students in general, Alec was unfortunate enough to end up with Magnus as a roommate. Alec had expected someone more… tame. However, every previous thought or judgement was thrown out of the horrible windows when he saw the flamboyant man strut himself into the room and introduce himself as The Great Magnificent One.

Magnus, to this day, still refuses to admit to ever having done such a thing – but Alec would argue against for the rest of his life.

Nevertheless, Alec was thankful for running into him. That first year led them to requesting one another for the second year and then moving into their own townhouse apartment, and finally ending up in a nice condo complex two to three blocks from either of their respective work places. They were lucky – extremely lucky. Alec had found his best friend and would change nothing about his life now. Not even the tired mornings or horribly colorful pajamas that Magnus would never let him near in fear of him throwing them away.

“I know. That’s why I got you _this,”_ Alec drawled and withdrew the family sized back of wavy Lays and placed it on the table. Magnus all but turned to putty in the middle of the kitchen. The man became a blurred line as he made for the food.

“I could marry you,” Magnus mumbled, and Alec saw that he was, indeed, speaking to the bag of chips. He shook his head while placing the other items, their favorite sandwiches, onto the island counter. Magnus scooped that up too. “I could marry _both of you.”_

Alec couldn’t help but to chuckle. He walked over to the fridge and pulled out some drinks for them. “Did you even move since I left?”

Magnus scoffed, still managing to eat and talk without sounding too gargled. “Of course I did.”

“Going to the bathroom doesn’t count.”

Alec didn’t need to turn around and see him to know that he was pulling one of those faces. “Excuse me. I didn’t _just_ go to the bathroom, you know. You can’t just look like this naturally.”

Alec actually did spare a glance his way from the table. Magnus was still hunched over the bag of chips, gorging himself as though Alec didn’t make him breakfast a few hours ago, and he looked like he would on any normal day. His eyes had a soft shade of orange today and the dark smudge of eyeliner on his eyelids and on the waterline. It was nice, although Alec liked it better when he didn’t wear anything – not that he would ever admit that aloud.

“Whatever,” Alec said instead and went to eating his sandwich with the faint hum of the television rambling on about the Discovery Channel. He caught every other word or so until Magnus broke the silence with the loud crumbling of a now empty potato chip bag. He tossed and made it into the trash with one try.

“So what were your plans for tomorrow?”

Alec finished his bite. “I have a few lessons scheduled, probably until two or so. Then Maia and I were going to go get an early dinner or whatever.”

Maia, Maia Roberts, was also one of his friends from college that he managed to stay in contact with – one of the most fortunate things that happened to Alec after college. He hadn’t even realized that they lived across the street from one another until Alec ran into her, quite literally, one day. Now, they made a pact to meet up every so often to catch up and swap stories. That was it. There was nothing more involved than some coffee, a little food, and meaningless conversation that neither of them actually minded. It was pleasant and they both deserved a break from their all too chaotic lives. Maia, also, worked with kids in a more traditional fashion. She talk biology at the local high school and never once regrets making that decision – despite some specific children that make her question her pursuit of the career.

“Okay.” Magnus nodded as he processed the information and tossed his sandwich wrapper into the trash too, Alec not even realizing how hungry the man actually was. He felt slightly bad for not picking up any more food. “Okay.”

“Why the sudden curiosity in my affairs?” Alec finished the last of his food as well and joined the man who was just standing by the door of the fridge before deciding to finally look inside. “Do you have plans?”

“No. I mean…” The man paused and closed the fridge hopelessly. “I have a date.”

“Oh.” Alec let that sink in alongside the tight scrunch of his stomach that he associated with the choice of having pickles in his sandwich today. He hated them. “Oh. Okay. Did you need me to stay out…?

Magnus waved his hand in dismissal. “No. No. It’s fine. We were going to go out for dinner and then come back and watch something…”

Alec nodded and Magnus nodded and Alec tried to convince himself that there wasn’t any tension hanging in the air. He instead tried to clear it up by moving on with the conversation, “We’re still on for movie night on Friday, right?”

Magnus scoffed. “Of course. I’m not a savage.”

And that was that. Both of them moved on with the rest of the afternoon and late evening, talking about who would do the dishes that night – even though Alec had done then three nights in a row – and then fell asleep long before the sun rose for the next day.

**

Mornings did not treat either man with kindness. The sunlight would come streaming in through every crack and crevice between the blinds and curtains despite all of their attempts to create a blockade between themselves and the outside world. Alec had taken the precaution of waking up before the sunrise and still had problems adjusting to the light that would beam into the kitchen while he was making coffee.

This morning was nothing out of the ordinary. He woke up before the sun did and got to work taking a shower and getting dressed. The breakfast was no breakfast of champions – certainly not to Magnus – but it did it’s job to tide Alec over until his lunch break. He made sure to keep Magnus’ portion of food in the microwave in case he did wake after just leaving. He tended to do that. A lot.

Alec prepped himself with the final touches for the cool weather and stepped out into the world wishing that all would go well for him today. The music hall wasn’t too far. It was the furthest out of both of their jobs – Magnus the lucky one with his salon being only ten minutes away. Alec didn’t mind that much though. The walk to work – or the ride when he was particularly lazy – was well worth the experience.

He got his inspiration on the street and the people that floated around it. He could see the pop-style in someone’s excitement or the long drawl of notes with another’s sadness. When he had first moved into the condo with Magnus – and he surprised him with a piano for the front room, that asshole – he composed several songs, overwhelmed by Magnus’ generosity, the sheer size of the city, and the white noise of chatter and taxi cabs screaming. Magnus often times asked for Alec to play when he couldn’t sleep and he wasn’t one to deny such a request. He would play something short and sweet, or when the night was full of darker thoughts, something sadder.

Today, however, he made sure to teach his students something more soothing and upbeat for the sake of the cold season. For one student in particular, as per his request, he taught how to play Jingle Bells so he could play for his family during the holidays.

Alec hardly noticed when lunch came and went, all too consumed by some students who came by without having scheduled an appointment or they simply forgot. So his day was stretched thin. The last student of the day was leaving as Maia stood in the frame of the door, waiting.

“You’re too good for this world, Alec.”

Alec rubbed at the bridge of his nose, trying to relieve the unknown tension lying there. He looked at the large clock and huffed out a long breath.

“Food?” Maia offered. “Drinks?”

Alec stood and rolled his shoulders before grabbing his jacket and scarf. “Please.”

**

Much later in the evening, Alec stumbled into the main lobby of the condo duplex and managed to greet the doorman – Hal – with a half-wave. Getting into the elevator and keeping his hand still enough to get the key into the door was seemingly impossible in his drink-hazed mind. He kicked off one show and then the other when he heard the faintest cry of his name, “Alexander?”

Alec mumbled something and staggered – more like tripped over his own feet – into the living room where Magnus was. And not Magnus was.

Alec thanked his lucky stars that the couch was facing the opposite direction, but he still got an eyeful of the pair. Magnus was sitting, more like kneeling, on the couch, naked, with his hair splayed every which direction and lipstick smeared on the corners of his lips. On the other side of the couch, Alec could see the tips of blonde hair and a perfectly manicured hand came over the top.

“Shit.” Alec blinked, letting the situation settle in his brain. He looked down to find separate pieces of clothing thrown across the entire living room area – the real reason to what tripped him upon entering. With the information, his cheeks burned. “You should have told me!”

“Now is not the time to be having this conversation, Alec,” Magnus tried to plead, something dark swimming in those light eyes of his. From beneath him, there was a faint sigh.

 _“Less talking,”_ the woman said and pulled Magnus back down for her touch.

Alec did what any man would have done. He stayed quite and practically sprinted for his room without looking at the pair and shut his door for the night, wishing it could be forever.

**

One month later, Alec woke in the middle of the night to the sound of banging on the front door. He opened his mouth to call for Magnus to get it before realizing that the man was out – again. With his girlfriend. _Camille._

Alec hated her.

Perhaps he had known to hate her since the first night he had saw her, or rather her hand, come from behind the couch. Never trust a woman with sharpened nail tips. Never. There was something off about her when they had been in the kitchen the morning after.

Even after the fourth night in a row of their hook-ups, she kept looking at him as though she wished for Alec to disappear and then would smile and put on this face so easily for Magnus. Alec had played it off because he saw that Magnus, for once, was happy. And he didn’t want to ruin it.

It was two weeks in when he questioned whether or not to tell Magnus about Camille. She had run into Alec, purposefully, the morning after a particularly loud evening, and practically threatened Alec to stay away and stop looking at “her man”. That evening, when she had stayed the whole day, he almost knocked off a knife from the drying rack when he remembered putting it away earlier in the afternoon.

It was safe to say that it was perfectly reasonable to hate Camille.

Even more so now as he answered the door to find Magnus standing there, staring right through the man like a ghost. He was pale, cold to touch, and crying.

Alec, in all of his years of living with Magnus, had never seen him cry.

Alec immediately pulled him into the house and took him to his room, knowing that Magnus would rather set his room on fire than to sleep in there after a month of sleeping with the woman who ripped his heart out. They lied there for the entire night, not sleeping, until the sun was about to rise, with Alec soothing every ounce of pain and misery until Magnus finally fell asleep and took Alec with him.

When Alec woke up in the afternoon of the same day, he went straight to the piano. He didn’t care for his well-worn pajamas with the unsightly holes that Magnus teased him without end for. He rather encouraged Magnus to comment on them – to say anything. He had yet to wake or say anything since he had come home last night and Alec was genuinely worried – so he played it on the piano. He poured every morsel of pain and grief and angst into the song that ached for Magnus, always Magnus.

He had reached the final few notes when he felt the warmth of Magnus’ palms slip over his shoulder and up his neck. Alec curled towards the touch and looked up into his sad eyes.

“Come,” was all his said as his thumb stroked gently over the side of his cheek and the corner of his jaw. Alec could have purred, but instead he stood, suddenly feeling drained, and followed Magnus back to his bedroom and fell back asleep for the second time that day.

**

It was early February when Alec was finally told that Magnus was seeing someone else. It had been three month – three long months – that Alec had tried to get Magnus out of that dark funk. Playing had helped, but Alec couldn’t help but to feel as though he lost a part of Magnus when Camille left. He wanted the same bubbly man who had first come into his dorm. He saw something similar to that man when Alec was invited to a small gathering down at the Hunter’s Moon with Magnus and his new boyfriend, Imasu Martinez.

He was okay. There was nothing that stuck with Alec at the first glance. He was average height with dark hair and dark eyes. He smiled at everything that Magnus said and nursed the same beer for the remainder of the night while the rest of them had gone for seconds, thirds, fourths. Alec saw the way that Magnus smiled at Imasu. He had even laughed as something he had said and Alec drank.

The next morning he played until he couldn’t anymore. And the next day. And the next day.

Two weeks came and went and Alec felt as though it was an eternity. He taught and played and ate and slept. He kept conversations with Magnus as though it wasn’t hurting him. He kept moving on.

As did Imasu.

Alec and Magnus were out one evening, going to try the new sushi restaurant that had opened up just around the corner when they passed the small café and Imasu was sitting there in one of the booths sharing a milkshake with another man like they were straight out of a fifties comic book. Alec didn’t know what to do, and neither did Magnus. Magnus just stood there and took it, but then turned to Alec as though nothing had happened and they went to sushi like planned.

It was when they got home that Magnus broke. Alec saw the way his shoulders slumped in the elevator and he was vacant while he stripped him of his jacket and other protective items. Alec decided to place him in the couch they had bought during Christmas that was beside the piano as he played the song of his heartbreak. Somewhere during the middle, Magnus had moved to the bench and started to play alongside Alec. And even though it was just a few keys every here and there, Alec felt something shift in the air between them and hopefully it would be for the better.

**

“Morning,” Alec greeted his roommate and extended him his brewed coffee.

Magnus took the steaming beverage and took a large gulp without even flinching. Alec hummed, impressed. “Morning, Alexander.”

Alec was stilling getting used to Magnus calling him by his full name. He had regretted ever telling him in the first place during college, but now he was somewhat thankful. The change in his same could reflect their relationship: new and fresh. Alec liked it.

It had been several months since the last fiasco and Alec was enjoying his time with Magnus. He enjoyed the conversations, even the ones they had at two in the morning when Magnus can’t sleep and finds his way into Alec’s bed. Everything was simple…

Magnus interrupted his thoughts. “Play for me?”

“Always,” he mused and made his way over to the piano. He took his spot and Magnus took his on the couch that had been pulled forward because Magnus had complained one evening about not being able to feel “the whole experience”. He waited until he had found the comfiest spot and then played something that was the coming warm summer air in the breeze. It was hot. It was free. It was everything that they were, or at least going to be – or Alec hoped. As he came to a stop, Magnus asked, “What do I sound like?”

 

Alec never thought that Magnus would ever ask him this question. He had thought about it, plenty of times, actually. But never had he actually imaged that the day would come. He felt slightly pressured, and fluffed his shirt for some air and courage to continue playing.

“You sound like sadness. And hope. You rise and fall, but then rise even higher than before.”

“Sound beautiful,” Magnus sighed and rested back into the confines of the cushions.

“I can play it,” Alec said all too fast. “If you’d like.”

Magnus smiled – truly smiled – and Alec felt like the luckiest man in the world. “Please.”

And so Alec did. He flexed his hands first and thought of what piece to play. He had dozens by now. Dozens of Magnus and his quirks, qualities and relationships. Then it clicked. Alec immediately started moving and the keys became putty beneath his hands as he told a story.

Their story.

Alec could see every moment as he played, every feeling and heartbreak from either of their hearts. Everything was thrown to the wind as he played and played and played. He was heaving by the final few keys and could hardly bring himself to look at Magnus, but he did. He looked straight into those gold encrusted eyes that were now only seconds away from his.

Magnus’ fine hands skimmed over his own before one came to cup the side of his face like it had done a long time ago. Alec felt it hard to breathe. “How long?”

God, Alec wanted to breathe. He inhaled deeply and let everything out. “Since you walked into our room with those damn sequin pants.”

“Alexander,” Magnus exhaled and brought his face even closer so that they were sharing the same breath of air. The man rested his forehead against the other’s. “You should have told me.”

“I’m not very good with words.”

Magnus chuckled and pulled back. The pair shared the same emotionally driven look in their eye. “I think that was established a long time ago.”

Alec laughed and felt immensely happier. The only thing he thought of now was what was next. “So what now?”

“Now…” Magnus ghosted over Alec’s bottom lip and he almost lost all the nerve he had left. “Now we play.”

“We?” Alec mused.

Magnus withdrew himself entirely with a fierce nod before he forced his way onto the bench and posed his fingers, ready. “Of course. You’re stuck with me now, Alexander. Me and my _damn sequin pants.”_

“Oh, hush,” Alec rushed out and lunged for the man, finally. Connecting them both with Alec’s hands on Magnus’ face and his lips on his. There was nothing rushed about that. It was slow and passionate. Alec fueled all of his years of yearning and waiting into that single kiss and lost all the breath left in his body. For the first time in a very long time, Alec felt as free and as flowing as the summer air that began to waft in through the balcony window. The pair basked in the warm glow of the afternoon with the sound of music in the air and the feeling of love in their hearts.


End file.
